


When Stars Dance

by Evekle



Category: Original Work, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Dancer Peter, Denial of Feelings, Flower Crowns, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Heart-to-Heart, Heist, In which the Emperor trolls Kennel, M/M, Pre-Heist, dancing under the stars, mentions of Altea, peter is a tease, semi whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-27 06:34:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17761640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evekle/pseuds/Evekle
Summary: For a friend's birthday on the Voltron Amino!In which Kennel finally catches onto his feelings to particular teammate while the team needs to complete a heist. Peter's actions don't help in any way. Messy feelings ensue.





	When Stars Dance

Many decades after the defeat of the Galran Emperor, stories begin to unfold one by one. The Paladins and their allies beginning to tell their small events one by one. Rumours were saying that the Black Paladin was in love with the fair princess but others claim otherwise. Who tells the truth? Why don’t we see what happened?    

 

\------

 

“I’m telling you, it’s _not_ going to work!” Peter cries out during one of the meetings.

 

“It’s totally logical. You’re just not listening--” Daniel responds, refusing to move at all. Kennel just doesn’t understand why the two of them can’t agree on anything.

 

“Well, you’re going to need a distraction, it’s not working otherwise. The freaking Venue is guarded and you bet that the blueprints are going to be _heavily_ guarded. Get a dancer to perform while you guys ‘heist’. It’ll make you all look less suspicious-”

 

“Danny please--” he tries to butt in. The last thing they need is for the Coalition Leader to fight with a Paladin of all people. On top of that, a distraction in the Venue might just be what they were missing to pull the the existing plan. Plus, everyone could dance right?

 

“Our plan _doesn’t_ need a dancer. Thank you. You get me right, Kennel?” The ginger looks at him. Yet from the corner of his eye, Kennel can see how Peter seems to deflate.

 

“Having a dancer might be a good thing? For buying more time..that stuff.” He tries to reason. Peter might seem reckless as hell but Kennel’s seen him playing chess. Though, he’s pretty sure Peter’s going to volunteer one of them.

 

“But--fine.” Daniel asks. “Should all of us go up and do the hula?”

 

“No.” Everyone’s eyes turn to Peter.

 

A beat.

 

“I’m doing it since none of you look like you can dance.” Well, quiznak. He was _not_ expecting that.

 

\-----------

 

It’s two vargas before the Venue event begins and everyone’s running through their parts again. For the first time, the Paladin armour is dropped for something with easier mobility. Everyone looks ridiculous to a degree from the formal clothing they have to wear, except for Maya and Michael.

 

“Are you ready, Maya?” Tessa asks right before they run through their plans again.“I think we’re fine. Right?”

 

“Ready? I don’t know her!” Maya exclaims. “We’re definitely going to be a-okay!”

 

“Hey, attention here please. Tessa, you’re in charge of keeping track of where everyone is,” Kennel states matter-factly. “Especially Maya.”

 

“Got it Kenny!”

 

“Maya, you’re--”

 

“I’ll just waltz in and stay out range. Ninja style. Oh! And get the blueprint!” the young girl is practically vibrating in anticipation. He’s clearly getting too old for excitement.

 

“Right, Michael’s coming with you.”

 

“It’s for safety’s sake. I, uh, have a bad feeling about this.” Michael adds in. He can’t help but think it’s understandable.

 

“Danny, you’re a barista. If something goes wrong-” Kennel turns to Maya and Tessa who are fiddling with their remote devices. “You’re going to find everyone and _leave_.”

 

“Got it.” Daniel gives him a curt nod. “What about you?”

 

He sighs, “I’m escorting our dancer and making sure things don’t go too badly. Someone has to play defense for him. Kira, you’re going to be our ‘driver’, you get us there and get whoever you can out.”

 

“Yeah, I can do that.” Kira replies with a shy smile.  

 

“Didn’t you volunteer?” Michael interjects, gesturing to him slightly. “The rest of us didn’t want to be stuck with him of all people.”

 

“No. I only did it because you guys didn’t want it,” Kennel responds. So what if he had volunteered? It _was_ mandatory. After all, there’s no emotions involved at all, he swears.

 

“Keep telling yourself that.”

 

There’s the sound of the door clicking open, finally revealing their dancer and oh. _Oh_ . His face isn’t showing anything right? _Right?_

 

“I look ridiculous don’t I?” Peter states as a matter of factly.

 

“N-no.” Kira’s face is juniberry pink and Kennel’s beginning to think this is a bad idea.

 

“My eyes are scarred!” Maya shouts, covering her face but everyone knows she’s peeping. Kennel can’t blame her, he probably can’t see Peter in the Coalition outfit the same way. Like, damn, who knew that the young leader had toned arms. The outfit doesn’t help with what’s running through his mind. It’s..how should he put it? Revealing. Very revealing.

 

“Uh-is everyone ready?” he manages to get out. He swears he can hear Maya telling Tessa about ‘thirsting’, whatever that means. Peter’s face turns a slight shade of pink the more the conversation goes on.  

 

It takes a few moments before everyone gathers their thoughts again and nods.

\--------

 

Sitting beside Peter on the ride to the Venue was a terrible idea. Kennel wants someone to throw him out into the vacuum of space and never think of this ever again. It’s just oh-so distracting. On the other side, he can see Danny refusing to even look in his direction, instead opting for the space view. Michael does the same.

 

“So, what do you think the opposite of  fire?” Maya asks.

 

“It’s water right?” Kira looks back as she responds. “It’s what I’ve been told--”

 

“Or it’s the opposite of fire chemically,” Michael adds in without even look over. Kennel watches as Tessa face palms as though five minutes of her life span has been drained just by hearing this argument. So he does the logical thing and allows this entire debate fade into the backdrop only to realize how close Peter is. There’s an inch between them at most.

 

“Think this’ll work?” Kennel finds himself asking.

 

“Why’re you so worried? We rehearsed the whole thing,” Peter replies though Kennel can feel the dancer trembling.

“I just have a bad feeling--”

 

“It’s not going to blow up,” he snaps back and looks up at Kennel with determined blue eyes.

 

“How do you not think so? What if something goes wrong? What...what if Maya doesn’t find it--”

 

“Do you trust everyone who’s involved?”

 

He pauses. “I-yeah.”

 

“Relax _Princess_ ,” Peter responds before pressing himself even closer, black locks floating around as he adjusts himself. They’re practically cuddling at this point if Kennel can move his arms to be loop around Fisher’s waist then maybe--

 

No. No. He has to control himself. This isn’t some vacation getaway. They were here to make sure the blueprints don’t fall into the wrong hands! Kennel’s clearly out of his mind.

 

\--------

 

“Are you guys ready?” Kira asks before settling down for the landing gear. Kennel is beyond nervous at this rate, his hands are freezing.  

 

“Uh, I guess?” Kenne finds himself replying, he ignores how his voice wavers.

 

“I’m ready as I’ll ever be,” Peter murmurs before stretching his arms. It almost wacks Kennel in the face.

 

“C’mon, let’s go!” Maya shouts before jumping out the door just as they land.

 

“Everyone knows what to do right?” he tries to ask as his team all leave the ship.

 

“I think we all got it Captain--”

 

“Try not to die!” Tessa calls out as the others begin to leave. Kira glares at her.

 

\-------

 

It’s simple enough, he just has to pass as someone who just escorts Peter to make sure nothing bad happens. What was the worst that could happen? Plus, he just has to keep track of everyone through the coms.  

 

“When’s the show starting?” Michael’s voice asks.

 

“Few minutes, I think,” Danny responds. “Hey, Kennel, trouble at two.”

 

“Emperor whatever-his-name-is, he’s right beside you.”

 

“Are you liking this banquet Sir--” the Emperor asks in all his loaming glory. As if Kennel’s opinion even mattered in the first place.

 

“Richards. Pleased to meet you, Your Majesty.” He doesn’t even care if he’s doing the wrong greeting. Peter practically hisses after he says that.

 

“Right. And you are?-”

 

“I-I’ll be performing tonight actually. Just.. uh.. Call me-- Kearney,” Peter seems to shrink back after being addressed. Clearly he knew what he was supposed to play as. Kennel finds himself trying to draw the attention away as despite how much he trusts Fisher, he’s too much of a wildcard at times.

 

“He’s not really talkative. Sorry, and uh, he’s not good at talking.” Kennel tries to buy for time as Peter disappears backstage.

 

“So are you two mated?” the Emperor questions. “You seem close with Kearney.”

 

It feels as though he’s back in alchemy class as the professor calls for an answer he doesn’t have.

 

“We’re just friends. Yeah, just friends!” Kennel notes how hysterical he sounds.

 

“Hey, we’re in _that_ hallway. No guards,” Michael says in the coms. Talk about the timing.

 

“Emperor’s right beside me--”

 

“We know. And you sound _really_ fake by the way,” Kira chims in.

 

“I do not!” he mutters, all it causes is the Emperor to glance at him as though asking ‘are you sane?’ which Kennel is sure he’s not. Why would he be?

 

“You sure do~” Maya adds. “We’re nearly there. Show should be starting… now! Good luck everyone!”

 

And so it does.

\------

 

Look, he’s not much of a dancer himself, maybe he can do a few ballroom steps but other than that, not much. Watching Peter dance is an entirely different thing.

 

Somehow, he can move like a feline with the grace of a swan. It takes Kennel’s breath away. He probably has to ask how Peter managed to get this much skill within the short amount of time they had to prepare. Either way, each jump and spin is fluid. Kennel swears he’s seen this dance somewhere. Looking over, he sees the Emperor looking up at his friend with eyes that only say _want_.

 

He makes sure that Emperor’ll _die_ before he can touch Peter.

 

Meanwhile, over the coms Kennel can hear the footsteps on the other side. This should work, there’s no reason that this plan shouldn’t work--

 

Everything plays out fine, he’s just trying to cover up how he’s still shaking. The music increases in volume near the end, and it’s their signal to get the hell out.

 

“Guys, we got the mcguffin!” Maya states. “Nevermind, uh, we got trouble--”

 

“Michael? Maya?!” Tessa shouts through the ear devices. “I lost where they are! Seriously?!”

 

“No wrenches, we’ll be found--” Kira interrupts as the sound of shuffling is heard in the background. “Tessa, _no_ \--”

 

“Tessa yes!--”

 

There’s a muffled _wank!_ followed by the sound of someone crying. It’s followed by something whizzing through the air. He supposes it’s a wrench because what else would be thrown?

 

Just as things were going well, of course it had to blow up. Then just as things couldn’t get worse all Hell breaks loose.

 

\--------

 

“His  Imperial Majesty, Emperor of Daibazaal. Intruders have come into the Venue.” a guard reports and looks straight at Kennel.

 

“Round them up. I think we can figure out who they are easily enough. Kearney, the dancer, is most definitely one, humans don’t come here often.”

 

Oh no. _Oh no_. What have they done--

 

“Of course sire.”

 

Just as the guard goes off for a few moments, there’s a short bang that’s heard. Kennel doesn’t want to know what just happened backstage.

 

Then Peter is being shoved through the door, glaring at everyone. Everyone else is suddenly bolting from the Venue but the Emperor doesn’t even budge.

 

“Kennel, get the _Hell_ out. _Now_ ,” he hears Danny shout out from the coms.  

 

“I’m not leaving without Fisher,” is his response.

 

“ _Kennel_ \--”

 

“You heard me, just go.”

 

“We’re coming to you then--” Kira argues. “There’s no way you can--”

 

“So, sir Richards, you claim you aren’t mated to Kearney or should I say Fisher--,” The Emperor taunts, striding towards his friend. Kennel finds himself unable to move. After all, what were the odds that he could even fight the galran alone and win?

 

“Leave him alone!”

 

“Kennel don’t--” Peter pleads once they lock eyes.

 

“-I wonder what he’ll think if-”

 

 _Bang_.

 

Peter pulls out a blaster from who-knows-where and shots directly at the galrans, it manages to knock one of them down.

 

“What are you looking at? Go!” the dancer shouts before bolting directly to the door, dragging him along.

 

And so they run.

 

\--------

 

Somehow he loses Peter who’s should be somewhere ahead of him.

 

There’s the sound of a blaster going off and a thump behind Kennel.

 

No. _No_ -

 

He turns back to find Peter sprawled on the ground. Looking back he can see guards rushing towards them. Kennel fumbles about, trying to get a better grip on the dancer.

 

“ ‘m fine, just go without me--”

 

“For once, let me carry _you_ Princess.” He manages to carry Peter and proceeds to go in the opposite direction.

 

“I-fine.”

 

His legs burn from all of it but he keeps running.

 

\--------

 

Somehow. Somehow they make it.

 

“About time! What took you-oh,” Kira asks just as they enter the shuttle.

 

“Do we have an aid kit?”

 

The rest of the night’s events pass by as a blur.

 

Kennel refuses to leave the ward in the small ship as they fly back to base.

 

\--------

 

Months pass as Voltron continues going on missions. Peter manages to get back onto his feet after a weeks of staying in wheelchair. It’s been five months since their ‘heist’, and Kennel feels as though he can see how much Fisher blames himself for everything that happened. Another thing were the feelings, if you could call it that.

 

So one night, he decides to talk to younger man about both of these factors.

 

“Hey, how’s it going?” Kennel asks once Peter comes out from his office. There’s still a slight limp to his step and it still makes Kennel’s blood boil.

 

“The norm, thousand of things to worry about.” Peter responds without a care in the world. Hell, he would even consider relaxed. “You sure look stressed.”

 

“As if you’re any better.” he notes how the Leader’s eye bags which have become more prominent than before.

 

“Seriously, haven’t you been trying to talk to me? Could’ve just asked.”

 

“No! I mean yes-but--”

 

“You’re thinking about what happened during the heist. It’s not your fault.”

 

“It’s not yours either!” _I should have been faster-_

 

“Can we somewhere more private for this? The back garden? And it’s both of ours then.” Peter interjects, stopping Kennel before he can ramble on.

 

He simply follows without another word.

 

\---------

 

“What is it that you wanted to tell me about?” Peter asks once they arrive. There’s an entire field of moonflowers here with lilies everywhere as well. Kennel can’t help but wonder if there’s any juniberries.

 

“I didn’t want to lose you that night.”

 

All Fisher does is look as though Kennel just told him a terrible pun.

 

“I’m not part of Voltron. Really, I’m expedible if the situation calls for it--”

 

“I _care_ about you Peter. Don’t you get it?” _You’re not. Never to me._ Kennel doesn’t want to pry as to why Peter thinks the way he does. Instead all he gets in response is an empty chuckle.

 

“ _You_ really don’t get it do you Kennel? I’ve gone through this over--nevermind--”

 

A beat. Peter looks around as if debating something before looking around. “Nevermind, could we just dance for a while? I need a distraction.”

 

“Of course.” Kennel says before his mind catches onto it. Without any prompting, he places an arm around the leader’s waist and takes his other hand. It feels more like swaying than dancing but it’s alright. He takes a breath before talking about the elephant in the room.

 

“Y’know, I do want a future with you and--” _It means I love you._  

 

Peter’s laughter is warmer than the embers in a fireplace as he pushes his hair back. Kennel can’t help but want to hear it more. Fisher’s always been far to uptight, it’s nice to see this side of him.

 

“What is this? A wedding proposal? Kennel, people find me obnoxious.”

 

“Have you ever considered flower crowns? Like, maybe juniberries as the flowers. It might match.” he tries not to imagine the contrasting purple flowers against Peter’s ebony hair. “I don’t think you’ve been to Altea have you? We could go there after all this is over.”

 

“Kennel, I hate to interrupt but we’re _not_ in a relationship? Like in the other realities--”

 

“That’s what I was about to ask actually, I uh, forgot.”

 

There’s a string of incoherent gibberish before Peter manages to answer with his face beet red. His answer is so small that Kennel has to strain to hear. “I wouldn’t mind.”

 

“Wait what?”

 

“I’m saying yes oh-oblivious Black Paladin.”

 

He pulls Peter closer than before, they’re practically breathing the same air.

 

“Then may I kiss the Princess?”

 

“That’s my nickname for you- and yeah, yeah, go for it my Knight-in-Shining-Armour.”

 

\-------

 

After, the garden itself becoming a spot where soulmates are said to come together for the first time. It sparks about how the love between two leaders had managed to save the universe. Many still claim to see them dancing in the garden which first intertwined their souls together.  Some argue that the Coalition leader and the Black Paladin were indeed soulmates, but what do you believe dear reader?

 

_END_

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there guys! I swear I'm not dead. Just been working on more original character stuff than the usual.
> 
> On a side note, here's some of the comments I wrote while writing to keep myself entertained with no context: 
> 
> -Kennel: I'm not thirsting. J-just not used to this-ahaha  
> Also Kennel: DUUUDE look at those arms ak;fkas
> 
> -Emperor: I don't even know but I want to fool around with him. THIS IS HILARIOUS.
> 
> -Kennel is disaster bi confirmed
> 
> Anyways, I'd like to know what were your favourite parts? Is there a character which you particularly enjoy reading about? Any relationship dynamics you would like me to dive into more? Maybe some prompts for what I should write more for this AU? Feel free to comment your thoughts down below!


End file.
